My first writer’s conference… or how I walked into my first agent pitch with a tear in the back of my dress.
By Mayra Cuevas
My first writer’s conference… or how I walked into my first agent pitch with a tear in the back of my dress
My story begins about a month before the Georgia Romance Writer’s Moonlight and Magnolias Conference.As part of the event you had the choice to meet with editors and agents to pitch your story. I was skeptical at first, because I didn’t have a finished manuscript but a friend told me some writers send in their manuscripts six months or even a year after they pitched it, so I decided to go for it.I googled every name on the list until I had read everything there was ever published about them online. Finally I picked two fabulous lady agents who were looking for YA books. I spent the week prior to the conference running Google searches like “how to pitch to a literary agent at a writer’s conference” because Google has the answer to everything. I combined my findings with the advice I got from my friends and narrowed it down to five main points:1) Stay calm and don’t puke on yourself, the agent or anyone else
2) Memorize my pitch, practice it aloud and bring my notes, just in case
3) Look fabulous and use this great opportunity to buy a new dress and new shoes to match (this is something I learned from my mother)
4) Participate in the pitch workshop with a published author
5) Be confident and at ease, because I believe in my story and myself!
Armed with my five pronged approach I practiced for days. I pitched to my boyfriend, my friends, my coworkers and my cat, Felicia, who listened attentively but did not offer any feedback. I went to Macy’s and picked out a fabulous jade green dress (see picture) with caramel color booties.The night before the conference I didn’t get any sleep. I was so excited it was hard to even think. I arrived at the conference and the room was titillating with positive energy and enthusiastic writers ready to befriend a newbie and give me all kinds of advice and encouragement.The pitch workshop was the first thing on Friday’s agenda. Another aspiring novelist and I met with a published author to critique our pitches. They both gave me some fantastic advice to make the pitch flow better, which I immediately put into practice.Then Saturday came. I had two appointments, one at 9am and one at 10am. I woke up early, since I could barely sleep anyway. The conference venue was about 45 minutes from my house but what if there was traffic? Or I got a flat tire? Or got lost? So I left super early and got there an hour before my first meeting which gave me time to relax.Everything was going great. I was standing in line about to go into my first pitch. I had my notes. I was confident. I was ready. And then the lady behind me told me my new dress was torn in the back over my butt and my spanks were showing.I swear time just stopped. I was at the door holding the back of my dress, thinking to myself, I have seven minutes to pitch my story with this woman and the entire world can see my underwear. So I did what any desperate writer looking for validation from an agent would do, I straightened up and walked in, tear and all. I put it out of my mind. I gave a kick ass pitch, and at the end of the meeting the agent asked me for a partial manuscript. My first ever! I could have hurled myself across the table and hugged the woman, but I didn’t. I proceeded to shake her hand and walked out of the room with my butt towards the door.I was so excited I didn’t care if Macy’s had wronged me. I walked outside and called my boyfriend to give him the good news. To which he told me how much he loved me and how proud he was (he is awesome like that). Then the hotel’s staff kindly got me a sewing kit (see picture) and I spent the next 30 minutes in a bathroom stall sewing my dress. I was sewing in my underwear and it was hilarious. I was giggling the entire time because I pitched to an agent and they liked my story enough to want to read 50 pages.After I fixed my dress I headed over to my second pitch. Once again I stood ready to go in the room, notes in hand, and confident. I gave a great pitch, the agent asked poignant questions and I felt like she got my story. This time she asked me for a full manuscript. It was amazing!In the end I walked out feeling like I had accomplished everything I wanted out of the conference. I had conquered both the fear of pitching my story to an industry professional and the fear of showing my underwear in public. I attended some great workshops and met some wonderful writers. It was an experience worth writing about.What was your first conference like? Share your story in the comments section below.